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SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, Jan. 8) - Earlier controversy surrounding the Northern Marianas islands of Farallon de Mendinilla, particularly the U.S. military's bombing exercises on the island that led to a lawsuit by an environmental group in 2002, has resurfaced once more, this time in the nomination of a prominent lawyer to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

William J. Haynes II's nomination by President Bush to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is being blocked by groups who question his environmental record by spotlighting his role in the 2002 case filed by the Center for Biological Diversity versus the U.S. Navy and the Department of Defense over the bombing exercises on FDM.

What environmental groups find particularly galling are reports that Haynes' legal team had argued that bombing birds is good for bird-watchers as they would derive more satisfaction from watching rare birds than common birds.

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (Port Vila Presse, Jan. 7) - The Canada Fund announced this week that it has approved VT 2,870,720 (US$26,000) for an Environmental Education Pilot Project on Santo.

The project will be run by the Wan Tok Environment Centre (Santo) to support and strengthen the teaching of environmental science under the national curriculum and provide opportunities for students to develop practical skills for solving environmental challenges.

"Education is a powerful tool that can be used to help address environmental issues", explained Gina Tari, Education Officer of the Wan Tok Environment Centre (WTEC).

"Schools are in a strong position to help the younger generations to manage resources sustainably and hold onto our remaining natural resources, but there needs to be more support and practical knowledge rather that theory based information. This is what we are aiming to achieve through this exciting new project."

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Jan. 8) - A senior police officer has incurred the wrath of Police Commissioner Sam Inguba for allegedly trying to prevent the deportation of five illegal Chinese immigrants at the Port Moresby International Airport on Monday.

Sam Bonner, a legal officer with the force, allegedly swore at detectives and immigration officers who were escorting the Chinese for deportation.

The incident was aired over EMTV news on Monday, he said.

Mr Bonner neither confirmed nor denied the incident, but said he was preparing his explanation to the commissioner.

Mr Inguba said Mr Bonner had gone to the airport with some government executives and claimed there was a court order preventing the deportation.

"I am not aware of an existing court order restraining the deportation and I am very disappointed at the behavior of Mr Bonner, who is a senior police officer and lawyer," he said.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Jan. 7) – Papua New Guinea’s Beijing Embassy did not follow proper procedures in issuing visas for 11 Chinese nationals who entered this country last month, government officials said yesterday.

They also said PNG officials, including a lawyer in Port Moresby, prevented police detectives and immigration officers from deporting the first batch of immigrants who entered the country under business visa on Monday.

But the PNG Mission in Beijing, China yesterday defended itself saying all procedures were followed and that it was the responsibility of the immigration office in Port Moresby to carry out checks on arrival at Jackson’s airport.

Last week, 11 Chinese immigrants from Fujian Province in China entered the country under suspicious business and tourist visas issued by the PNG embassy in Beijing. The visas were issued by a senior officer.

NUKUALOFA, Tonga (Maganti Tonga, Dec. 29) - The Tongan Squash Exporters Council is seeking a $6 million loan for the purpose of compensating squash growers who were hurt by low returns from their sale of squash to Japan this year.

However, the loan application will not be lodged with the Tonga Development Bank until the new year, according to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries.

The loan is to be guaranteed by government, and a sub committee, established to process the loan, has endorsed the application. It is now with the Minister of Finance who is expected to approve the commitment by government to guarantee the loan.

The dispersion of the $6 million is to be paid out to growers at 30 seniti per kg. The idea is to give the growers some money to meet their debts, because the 25 or 36 seniti paid by Japanese exporters was enough only to pay for the freight.

Unggai Bena Member of Parliament Benny Allan said the victims were from Hofaga, Mohuveto, Segagu and Kopogiu.

Allan said there were 50 deaths from Hofaga since the fight started in 1991 and stopped in 2002, another 50 deaths from Mohuveto between 1998-2001 and one death from Kopogiu. He said the number of victims from Segagu is undetermined.

"Figures are not confirmed from Segagu," he said. "The people of Sekagu and Kopgiu will sign a cease fire agreement in Goroka on Monday next week to stop the tribal fights," he said.

He said leaders of Hafaga would come to a round table discussion next month, as the situation is still tense in the area.

Mr Allan said "law and order was the priority area" in his electorate and he would do his best to bring normalcy back to the area.

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa, (Samoa News, Jan. 7) - American Samoa is in a state of emergency after Acting Governor Aitofele Sunia issued a "Declaration of Emergency" at 9 a.m. on Monday after Tropical Cyclone Heta moved away from the Territory heading towards Niue, leaving behind much damage to public and private properties.

By Sunday morning, Sunia activated the American Samoa Government's (ASG) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to coordinate emergency response activities staff by first responder personnel from various government agencies.

Heta passed American Samoa within 140 miles off Tutuila and never made landfall, with peak damaging winds between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. in the early Monday hours.

The declaration states that Heta was expected to peak at sustained wind speeds of 180 miles per hour at its core, with gusts of 195 miles per hour and would create 45 foot wave surges.

APIA, Samoa (Samoalive Jan. 6) - The all clear has been given for local and overseas sea and air travel to resume following the departure of cyclone Heta.

The inter-island ferries are to start tomorrow morning with a number of special trips to move the backlog of visitors who got stuck in Savaii during the cyclone.

Air New Zealand has announced its flights Tuesday afternoon (Samoa time).

The Upolu eastern road has now been opened to Aleipata following the clearing of the debris, mainly from the devastation of the roads by the rough seas.

It is now estimated that all the roads on both Savaii and Upolu will be accessible by Tuesday afternoon.However, the traveling public has been urged to be careful with some of the temporary repairs carried out today to get the traffic flowing around the country.

The road to Faleolo Airport was opened up Monday afternoon after private contractors set up temporary passes at the sections of the of the road which were...

KOROR, Palau, (Pacific Daily News, Jan. 8) - Officials here have again set fire to a mound of shark fins seized from a foreign fishing vessel, this time to signal the coming enforcement of a new law that strictly prohibits the exploitation of that marine resource.

In May, Palau President Tommy Remengesau burned a pile of illegally-caught shark fins, saying he wanted to notify foreign fishermen that Palau sharks were off limits and to call attention to the need for stronger laws protecting sharks in the country's waters. Palau law then only prevented vessels from targeting sharks with specific tackle.

Remengesau, who received international attention for the shark fin bonfire, also said the republic could have sold the fins for a sizable profit.

"Palau is not in the business of selling shark fins, nor do we want to be," he said.

In September, Palau passed a law banning shark finning -- the practice of lopping off the highly-valued...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.